VOLLEYBALL: Cooper focused on key match following loss

By Jon Poorman, Staff Writer

Updated
1:33 pm CDT, Tuesday, October 30, 2018

John Cooper blockers Anna Claire Adam (10) and Hailey Huetel (8) pressure Kirsten More of Houston Christian (7) during the first set of a SPC Southzone high school volleyball match at The John Cooper School, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, in The Woodlands.

John Cooper blockers Anna Claire Adam (10) and Hailey Huetel (8) pressure Kirsten More of Houston Christian (7) during the first set of a SPC Southzone high school volleyball match at The John Cooper School,

John Cooper blockers Anna Claire Adam (10) and Hailey Huetel (8) pressure Kirsten More of Houston Christian (7) during the first set of a SPC Southzone high school volleyball match at The John Cooper School, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, in The Woodlands.

John Cooper blockers Anna Claire Adam (10) and Hailey Huetel (8) pressure Kirsten More of Houston Christian (7) during the first set of a SPC Southzone high school volleyball match at The John Cooper School,

THE WOODLANDS - The SPC Championships are less than two weeks away, but The John Cooper School volleyball team is not yet focused on the season-culminating tournament. Instead, the Dragons and coach Ray Hedden are locked in on the next match, which could make all the difference.

“We’ve got to win our next one or we don’t go,” Hedden said. “We’ve got to focus on the next thing in front of them, and that’s St. John’s, and they’re undefeated (in SPC play). We don’t beat them, we don’t go — I mean, there’s a chance that we don’t go. It’s not a guarantee that we’re in. So I’m not looking at the SPC Championships that’s two weeks away — I’m looking at Tuesday.”

The Dragons suffered a 22-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18 loss at home against Houston Christian on Thursday evening, putting them in a tough spot as the regular season comes to a close. The top five teams in each SPC zone advance to the championships, where the Dragons took fifth place last season. This year’s tournament will be held Nov. 8-10 in Dallas.

Houston Christian, which entered the night winless in SPC play, was the runner-up at least year’s championships after falling to Episcopal in the finals match.

The Dragons came out strong with a lot of energy in front a packed gymnasium on their Dig Pink night and came away with a victory in the first set. But the visiting Mustangs quickly flipped the script and were able to come out on top in the next three sets to seal the triumph.

“The fundamentals were off tonight,” Hedden said. “We’ve never missed that many serves in a match, we’ve never had that many hits in the net in a match — all in all, it was just a poor performance. We just need more from our leaders to go out there and perform.

“The good news is that was the worst we’ve played. Even at our worst night, we were at least competitive, so we know that if we play better, it will hopefully be a better outcome.”

Copper is 20-4 overall and 2-3 in SPC South Zone play following the loss. St. John’s, meanwhile, is 4-0 in league action after knocking off previously unbeaten Episcopal in five sets on Thursday night.

“If that doesn’t light a fire under them, nothing will,” Hedden said of the dire situation. “We’ll get back in the gym tomorrow and get ready for St. John’s.”